Lavern
A unisex given name transferred from the surname.
Every Lavern since 1880 — 17,081 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Lavern
Lavern is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,097 in 2025 with 26 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 17,081 American babies have been named Lavern — about 60% boys and 40% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1924, when 435 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Lavern stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Lavern year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 26 | #4,097 |
| 2024 | — | — | 26 | #4,151 |
| 2023 | — | — | 35 | #3,390 |
| 2022 | — | — | 32 | #3,581 |
| 2021 | — | — | 30 | #3,704 |
| 2020 | — | — | 26 | #3,979 |
| 2019 | — | — | 24 | #4,290 |
| 2018 | — | — | 19 | #5,030 |
| 2017 | — | — | 20 | #4,856 |
| 2016 | — | — | 25 | #4,157 |
| 2015 | — | — | 21 | #4,640 |
| 2014 | — | — | 25 | #4,083 |
| 2013 | — | — | 25 | #4,019 |
| 2012 | — | — | 17 | #5,400 |
| 2011 | — | — | 21 | #4,596 |
| 2010 | — | — | 30 | #3,594 |
| 2009 | — | — | 28 | #3,782 |
| 2008 | — | — | 24 | #4,212 |
| 2007 | — | — | 23 | #4,308 |
| 2006 | 7 | #14,452 | 24 | #4,059 |
| 2005 | — | — | 22 | #4,139 |
| 2004 | — | — | 21 | #4,201 |
| 2003 | — | — | 21 | #4,063 |
| 2002 | — | — | 26 | #3,414 |
| 2001 | — | — | 22 | #3,797 |
| 2000 | — | — | 25 | #3,384 |
| 1995 | — | — | 19 | #3,511 |
| 1990 | 15 | #5,990 | 25 | #2,666 |
| 1985 | 8 | #7,968 | 17 | #2,898 |
| 1980 | 16 | #4,638 | 21 | #2,410 |
| 1975 | 31 | #2,542 | 22 | #2,099 |
| 1970 | 59 | #1,611 | 38 | #1,362 |
| 1965 | 72 | #1,267 | 54 | #1,009 |
| 1960 | 142 | #870 | 95 | #786 |
| 1955 | 176 | #713 | 109 | #702 |
| 1950 | 83 | #1,004 | 127 | #609 |
| 1945 | 112 | #704 | 120 | #547 |
| 1940 | 83 | #777 | 174 | #440 |
| 1935 | 112 | #616 | 209 | #377 |
| 1930 | 128 | #613 | 262 | #349 |
| 1925 | 127 | #655 | 256 | #371 |
| 1920 | 131 | #627 | 236 | #388 |
| 1915 | 68 | #801 | 135 | #478 |
| 1910 | 17 | #1,093 | 17 | #742 |
| 1905 | 8 | #1,484 | 13 | #686 |
| 1900 | 7 | #1,656 | 6 | #1,245 |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | 5 | #998 |
Famous people named Lavern
- LaVern Baker Singer · 1929–1997
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Lavern mean?
A unisex given name transferred from the surname.
How popular is the name Lavern in 2025?
Lavern ranked #4,097 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 26 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Lavern?
17,081 babies have been named Lavern in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Lavern most popular?
Lavern peaked in 1924, when 435 newborns received the name.
Is Lavern a boy or girl name?
Lavern is used for both: about 40% of babies named Lavern have been girls and 60% boys.
Is the name Lavern rising or falling?
Lavern is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Lavern?
Well-known people named Lavern include LaVern Baker (singer).